New 9mm M&Pc looks damaged after first trip to range

Joined
Aug 30, 2011
Messages
26
Likes
19
Feedback: 5 / 0 / 0
Hi,
Just bought a new 9mm M&Pc. Put 50 rounds through it and just took it apart to clean it. I noticed what looks like damage in the attached picture (right above the red spring if you do not see it). I just bought it last Wednesday new. Is this dangerous? What does this part do? Is it part of the frame and should I go back to the shop or call S&W.
Thanks in advance for input and suggestions,
Bob


M&P.JPG
 
That does look suspiciously like a damaged locking block, but I'm no M&P expert. S&W has a pretty iron-clad warranty. Just give them a call, describe the issue and I'm guessing they'll make it right. Hopefully they'll just send you a new one.
 
Locking block damage, I am thinking a defective part from the factory. It is a cast part and it looks like an internal defect ended up taking a chunk out of it. Considering the block helps hold the gun together as the barrel unlocks during recoil I would get it serviced immediately.

Doubt S&W will send you a locking block yourself btw, call and ask, they will tell you to send it in for service. See if the place you bought it at has a certified armorer and see if they will ship the part to him for replacement. S&W even asks for the SN of the gun the parts are going on sometimes.... MUCH different than ordering Glock parts.
 
Yikes! I'd say send it back also. I'd be ticked if that happened to me. See if you can get some free mags out of them.
 
Just call them and they will Email you a pickup tag to ship it to them (on their dime), fix it and ship it back to you.
 
Don't know where you bought it, but they may offer free shipping for warrantee repairs. Especially on such a new gun. The gun shops I go to offer this, probably as Len says in the end S&W pays the shipping tab anyways. I am sure they will do and/or you can ask to have full safety check performed on the gun to be sure that the damage you found is a flawed part not a malfunction somewhere else in the gun, that caused the damage. I don't really know if that is possible, but I would want that piece of mind.

I have a S&W M&P9c with now almost 2000 rounds through it. Other than the Ma. trigger that I have yet to get fixed, the gun has worked flawlessly.

Sorry for your problems. Sucks having to send a new gun back and wait for it to be returned, when I am sure you would rather be at the range shooting it instead.

Keep the thread updated. S&W is known to have excellent customer service, be very interested in what your experience with them is.

Glad you caught that though!!!! Best of luck!!!!
 
When I read the title, my immediate response was "yeah, right."

Well, I was wrong. That is busted. Either call up your dealer or call up S&W, 'cause that ain't right.
 
Thanks guys for all the input. I will call S&W tomorrow and keep the response and resolution posted. Wish I held onto the G22 I traded for this but I have some faith it was just a bad one in the bunch. I did keep my G27 and XDM. I am going to shop tomorrow to pickup a Ruger MKiii Talo edition so helpfully that will help me pass the time for short money at the range!
 
It looks to me as if the part is a casting (is that a parting line I see?) and that could be where the sprue was to feed molten material into the mold cavity.

Normally I would expect to see it ground off, but it may have snapped off.

The next question is whether that is a critical defect?
 
Call them, take a road trip and drop it off at the guard shack. While your in Springfield, visit the shooting sports center, and then maybe head over to S'field Armory.
They'll mail it back to you when its fixed,

make lemons into lemonade I say
 
Hey look its broke!

Anybody else here notice that?

Do we need another 20 posts to state the obvious? How about another 20 to tell him to call S&W?

I don't think the OP has had his question answered yet.

Or maybe its like jeopardy, the answer must be in the form of a question:
Category: Your Gun
for $500 Something broke that you need to call S&W to fix
Answer: What is MY GUN?
 
I have a similar mark on my M&P, though its not deep like that. I think its where the sprue was when they cast the part. Mine is jsut barley there, but yours looks like it was ripped off rather than cut. Seeing as its an area that doesnt see much if any friction/contact from anything else, it doesnt seem to be finished as cleanly as other parts. That said, with it being as it is, I would call them and see if they will change the part out, a deep hole such as that creating a weak point *might* be at a higher risk for cracking.

ETA: the part itself sees plenty of contact/friction from the barrel when it cams, but that specific spot is more or less untouched.
 
Last edited:
I have a similar mark on my M&P, though its not deep like that. I think its where the sprue was when they cast the part. Mine is jsut barley there, but yours looks like it was ripped off rather than cut. Seeing as its a part that doesnt see much if any friction/contact from anything else, it doesnt seem to be finished as cleanly as other parts. That said, with it being as it is, I would call them and see if they will change the part out, a deep hole such as that creating a weak point *might* be at a higher risk for cracking.

I have exactly what ARV is describing on mine. Let us know how you make out please.
 
Your locking block is broke,call S&W and ask them to mail you a replacement,install is pretty simple.
 
I`d return it to the dealer you bought it from and let him take care of the shipping.

Why, that will just add days to a week or so before he gets it back?

Just contact S&W, they pay for everything except the box and tape you use to seal the box . . . then when it's returned you have it in your own hands, not waiting for a dealer to log it in, check whose it is and call you to pick it up when he's open late after work.
 
Hey look its broke!

Anybody else here notice that?

Do we need another 20 posts to state the obvious? How about another 20 to tell him to call S&W?

I don't think the OP has had his question answered yet.

Or maybe its like jeopardy, the answer must be in the form of a question:
Category: Your Gun
for $500 Something broke that you need to call S&W to fix
Answer: What is MY GUN?

Hey, anyone notice how much of a douche you sound like? Who pissed in your Cheerios this morning?
 
Why, that will just add days to a week or so before he gets it back?

Just contact S&W, they pay for everything except the box and tape you use to seal the box . . . then when it's returned you have it in your own hands, not waiting for a dealer to log it in, check whose it is and call you to pick it up when he's open late after work.

Len, just because I really don't know.

It is okay to ship to the manufacturer from your home and have it shipped back to your home?

I thought all shipping had to go through an FFL?

I ask because I just paid an FFL to ship my Colt back to Colt for repair and got caught up in the delays you mention in your post above.

But again my understanding of this is exactly this basic, so thanks for letting me know about this!!!!
 
Last edited:
I'd wait for it to rust out before I shipped it back that way they can fix them both at the same time.
 
Why, that will just add days to a week or so before he gets it back?

Just contact S&W, they pay for everything except the box and tape you use to seal the box . . . then when it's returned you have it in your own hands, not waiting for a dealer to log it in, check whose it is and call you to pick it up when he's open late after work.

Since when do you need to pay for a box? FedEx has free boxes. I usually just take guns there in a bag and throw them in a FedEx medium box. They self-seal too and most FedEx places will give you tape.

I`d return it to the dealer you bought it from and let him take care of the shipping.

Why? S&W pays for shipping.

Len, just because I really don't know.

It is okay to ship to the manufacturer from your home and have it shipped back to your home?

I thought all shipping had to go through an FFL?

I ask because I just paid an FFL to ship my Colt back to Colt for repair and got caught up in the delays you mention in your post above.

But again my understanding of this is exactly this basic, so thanks for letting me know about this!!!!

There is no transfer involved - You are shipping to an FFL/gunsmith and the FFL is returning the gun to you after repairs. This is permitted under Federal law.
 
Since when do you need to pay for a box? FedEx has free boxes. I usually just take guns there in a bag and throw them in a FedEx medium box. They self-seal too and most FedEx places will give you tape.

I would NEVER do this. When I walk into a FedEx/UPS depot, everything is sealed up and ready to drop on their table.

Many report being grilled about the gun, wanting to see it, forcing folks to disassemble, etc. I don't know but perhaps when they walk in and don't look like they've ever done this before it invites 1000 questions. I walk in like a professional that does this daily ([laugh] I've really only shipped less than 10 times) and am never questioned.

I usually use a "pre-used" box that came from something shipped to me and stuffing is reused as well. I do pay for the tape, no big deal.

If I were to do as you suggest, I'd stop by FedEx/Kinkos first and pick up the free boxes, take it home and pack it at home.
 
I think that may be a little overcautious. My usual method is to have the gun in some sort of small inner box or opaque bag. I get the box, form it, pack the bottom with a scrunched up expresspak envelope, put the gun and instructions in, finish up with another pak, and then tape it up and hand it over. I've never been questioned about the gun at UPS or FedEx other than one time at UPS where they didn't know the law allowed me to ship at all, and I've done it quite a few times. I just tell them I have a gun going for repairs.
 
Back
Top Bottom